As of late there’s been a lot of articles and coverage about Makerspaces. Like anything, one has to have their own philosophy. I think anything in education that helps further move the design process with students is great! As a teacher with a projects background and a deep love for PBL, design thinking, creativity and innovation, I don't think it's different than what many teachers have been doing for years (but we can always be better!)

What I love about this movement is the idea that making needs to be part of instruction. Those essential skills that go into 'making' something needs to be fostered. Essentially, teachers need to give the go ahead that it's OK to go through that creative/design thinking process (even in Social Studies, ELA...). Jill Hill does a great job at starting the process at our middle school. She has created a space for students to continue that creative process outside of the classroom with her makers club. It's a great start, but a small piece in a much larger puzzle - the shift in education.

One of our awesome elementary teacher asked me recently, “What is a Makerspace? I just don’t get it.” I explained a little bit about the movement and her response was, “How is that different than my classroom?” Great question! I loved that question. Another teacher said, “I guess I could create a little area off to the side and call it a Makerspace.” This is what I am hoping that classroom teachers do NOT do. More on this in a minute.

The maker movement has been around for quite some time. Like many things in education, it started outside of education first. It started with people who just loved to build stuff. Who wouldn’t love to get together with other people and build things? I mean, I love building and creating! I’ve done it all my life.

Tangent Alert (feel free to skip):Growing up, I was always given the freedom to have creative curiosity. On my mom’s side of the family were woodworkers and farmers. They were not afraid of hard work and building. Therefore what transpired was that I also was not afraid of hard work or building. My upbringing was one in which, if we could build it/fix it, we would! If you were to walk into my grandparents house, most all of their furniture, cabinetry, and shelving was made by my grandfather and my uncles. Why buy when you can make? They had a creative outlet and growing up I saw that they had a great sense of pride in their work. When I was a little girl, I didn’t want dolls or barbies. I wanted toolsets, chemistry sets, magic sets, sewing books, books about making instruments, detective kits, drawing sets, painting sets, ... all things to further my creative curiosity. This is probably why I find higher value in reading technical books rather than leisure reads. I would rather read about the reactions of different wood stains with different wood types than a group of magical beings (not bad, just not my preference). My ‘maker’ mindset was ingrained into me at a young age. I find value in creating, designing, and making because I had a family that supported me and my want to continue creating. In doing so, the silent message to me was that it was ok that I built a bow and arrow and not played with Barbie and Ken. It was ok, that I would rather investigate how to wire electricity to make light up shadow boxes than play dress-up. I was supported and given space to create and I realize how important it is to give our students support and space to create. So how can we as educators send the message that we support this in ALL spaces?

The beginning of the ‘making’ movement started way back when people brought tools/equipment to one space. It was economical because everyone used everyone else’s tools. So, one didn’t need to buy a ton of tools. They had a shops worth of tools collectively. They built a community. Through time Makerspaces have crept into public schools in the form of Makerspaces, fab labs and tech shops, all promoting the same ideas of making, which is good! Creating is always good! However how they have packaged this concept for public education is interesting to me. I can only imagine it’s to sell people items they don’t entirely need. Little kits or huge machines. I’m here to tell you... you don’t need a 3D printer or those little expensive robots that move around. There’s no need to spend thousands of dollars on a mindset. Making is a mindset. It’s a process and a set of skills we help our students hone, practice and build. We create and design learning experiences for our students. So guess what? YOU are a maker too! Or creator, innovator, or whatever you want to call yourself [insert word here].

So why are we seeing so many makerspaces popping up all over? In part, it’s political in nature with certain spaces looking to change their image and rebrand themselves. It could also be that we are inundated with technology and we feel like we need to integrate anything we see that seems cool. We go to conferences and see cool new toys and get dazzled with little robots we must have. Blinded by tech. However, teaching 101 suggests that we always ask ourselves, "How does this aid in my instruction?" Beware of using technology for technology's sake.

I’ve always been a proponent of really looking at if the resource is worth the time invested. Is it just fun? Or can this piece of technology, app, or machine help change the way I teach? Does it help better my teaching and help engage students? Does it help build that mindset? All of the skills that we don't talk about, but we know all students need. We all want the most bang for our buck, but may not be practiced in knowing what will do that exactly...

I think I mentioned this in an earlier post, but I personally need to have a clear understanding of my own beliefs, philosophies and definitions of what x, y, and z are before diving in. So like good 'ole Chris Bocklage taught me to ask...what is the definition...

What is your definition of making?

How are you helping to promote the ‘maker’ mindset (or whatever you'd like to call it) in your classroom?

Is creativity and student choice embedded in your learning experiences?

Like many movements in education, I do think and feel like makerspaces are an educational fad. However, the essence of a makerspace is not. The real pieces are all of the skills that go into 'making' and the process of design. I can tell you that it has been difficult to get my iLab students to see design differently. They came in with a preconceived notion that design meant products. Something one could hold in their hand. What they are finding is design can be anything and everywhere. They had to come to their definition of what it means to be a designer or a creator. What does that look like to them. They are constantly challenged with redefining this over and over again.

Remember again, It’s a mindset. It’s about planning, researching, creating and reflecting. It incorporates teaming, communication, empathy, and of course deep reflection - all which you can't hold in your hand. It’s my personal belief that every classroom is or should be a space for making and promoting the ‘maker’ mindset (or whatever YOU want to call it! It’s just words). It’s not reserved for the libraries of the world, after school clubs, or electives. I feel like when we do this, we are telling students directly or indirectly that making only happens in certain spaces/venues. It’s the silent message saying the ‘maker’ mindset can only be tapped into, in these spaces and those other spaces just do 'regular' class work. The non-creative work. I don’t think people knowingly do this, but it happens. Therefore, creativity takes a backseat in the core classrooms. Why?

We all have curriculum to teach. There are curriculum maps that we strictly hold ourselves to. Because of this we then may find ourselves saying, “I just don’t have time for this or that.” What is the silent message we are sending? We have to make time for not making in particular; we have to make time for learning experiences that that promote the mindset where thinking outside of the box is valued and promoted. Students have choice and voice and can be creative in their own process. This is not just a one and done act. It’s a routine and what's awesome is YOU get to set the tone!

This was the message we tried to send in the RO Tech Rally this past week. It’s not JUST about integrating technology. It's, of course, about connecting tech with curriculum, but it’s more about utilizing technology in a way to help support teachers in their journey to empower students to have a voice, give them choice, and promote that analytical, creative, maker mindset. You may have a video in the end of your designed learning experience, a drawing, a plan, an idea, a product, a website, a piece of writing, a...

As an Instructional Technology Specialist and former Visual Arts and Design teacher, I am acutely aware that creativity is not a side project. It’s not something you get to enjoy once the real work is done. This is why I caution classroom teachers from making ‘makerspaces’ a small nook in their room. It’s not a reward area for when work is done. It’s a culture set in the classroom. Even silent messages are ones that resonate with students long after they leave the classroom.

Even silent messages are ones that resonate with students long after they leave the classroom.

This is my own philosophy. It doesn’t mean it’s right or wrong. It’s what I have come to after teaching in a PBL forward classroom centered around design and creative thinking. I see my role as one that helps move this mindset, to help ALL teachers design learning experiences where creating and creativity can thrive.Let’s design together! Reach out even if you’re not in my area or building. In 2017, we can make a digital community of innovators who support one another in moving a mindset. @ROHS_Reimold

I was recently talking to a friend about how I should probably start posting more technology focused posts on my blog. I promise I will! Technology and instruction go hand-in-hand. I see it as instruction AND technology. You can’t really talk about technology without talking about instructional strategies. It's not about JUST integrating technology. It's always about good teaching. With that said, a lot of good teaching is even beyond just good instructional strategies. It really starts with the core of who you are and how you connect with the core of who your students are.

Many of these posts are just thoughts that gripped me during the week: Lessons I learned. Things I noticed. Thoughts I had. Connections I made. Things I want to work on. Things I have been working on. General musings.

I've been reflecting a lot about topics that relate directly or indirectly to instruction- how we engage, empower and connect with students. As I sat in Jay Mark's second session of Culturally Responsive Teaching it became very clear that the act of being more open and vulnerable with students isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it's quite hard. Honestly, it's something that I have always felt I was good at, but lately I've noticed that I'm only open to a small degree. I believe I have strong relationships with students. However, after talking to a colleague on my drive home from the workshop I thought, "What if I could help a student simply by talking about my cultural background?" I don't normally discuss my background. It's not that I'm ashamed of it in any way. I just don't seem to talk about it and I'm not really practiced in talking about it. I wonder if one of my teachers in high school was more open about their cultural background if I would have been less shy about mine. It seems to be coming up more and more and I noticed that as I started talking about it more with students, they have started sharing with me more. The other day I was talking with a student and in conversation she mentioned, "Well you probably don't know this about me, but I'm adopted..." She was right, I didn't. However, I immediately said, "No way, me too!" And I've noticed after this one conversation she openly talks about it. The next time we spoke, another student overheard us and jumped into our conversation because he was too. It was really a neat conversation and one that I probably wouldn't have been open to having previously.

Jay had us do a homework assignment called "My Racial History". It was a ten minute write. So, in my effort to be more open, here it is...

"I grew up in a small town. All of my friends were white and I grew up thinking I was white too. It wasn't until around third grade when some boys were making fun of me that I realized maybe I was different. I came home and asked my mom what they were talking about and we had a heart to heart conversation. From then on I felt like I spent most of my young life assimilating and trying not to be noticed. I didn't want to be different. Different was bad. It started being a thing. My thing. The thing I didn’t want people to see or know, but now something I couldn't hide from or forget. Many people and friends would say (and still do)- “I don't even think of you as Asian." I think they mean it as a compliment? It used to feel like a compliment. I felt like I made it. I successfully tricked everyone! And my response now is... "Yeah, but I am.” I successfully dodged the differences and awkwardness in high school avoiding any other Asian in the building. I was awkward in so many different ways that had nothing to do with me being Asian and as long as those were the things that were noticed - that was cool with me.

Right when I thought I had everyone tricked, all the Asians in the universe came up to me on the EMU campus. They would stop in the quad and speak to me in what I would assume was their native language. I, of course, would stand there, looking and feeling awkward. When I said I didn't know the language, they would ask where I was from. I would answer. They would ask why I didn't know the language and I would explain that I was adopted. Then they would abruptly turn around and walk away leaving me standing there wondering what I did wrong. It felt a little like I got slapped in the face. A hit and run. I didn't understand why and honestly I still don't really understand it.

I was raised by two awesome individuals. They have always let me be who I wanted to be - who I am. They not only let me be this person, they loved me for it. I was celebrated. I have all of the core values of my parents. I don't really talk about being adopted because I never thought it was my identifier. I think Alyssa Reimold... creative, artistic, problem-solver, hard worker, reflective... good person. That's all I ever wanted to be. A good person. Not Alyssa Reimold. Asian.

I feel like celebrating people is important. I try to make sure I do this with my students - celebrate them. I celebrate who they are. I connect groups and people and make students feel like it's ok to be them. I want to make sure they are celebrated and that they feel like someone cares about them. Their thoughts, feelings, and life inside and outside of the school walls.

I'm very aware that I received certain privileges over others. I wasn't in the back of the race nor the front. I have never wanted for anything. I always had access to good education, shelter, love... I was given a head start and I have thought maybe a million and one times over how my life could have been different. How one moment/event changes your life. Because of this, I now always think... what if that one conversation after school, in passing, that one email, that one post, that one hello, good morning, good afternoon, have a great day, you’re awesome, that one smile, that one moment... could change a life, a mindset, a path... Maybe that one something could be something that made the difference.

I have always felt like one of the lucky ones. My mom would tell this story about when they started the adoption process. She said she had a choice to go through baby photos/backgrounds and pick her baby. Dad and her agreed that the first photo was it. I was the first one. That was it. I was theirs and I have always felt lucky."

So, as I share this 10 minute quick write, I realize that it's a bit jumbled. It's not perfect (but nothing is). I also realize that it's more personal than I would normally put out into the world. However, the lesson learned for me this week is: telling your story can have an impact on someone else. Letting students tell their story can also impact you. Let me challenge you to give students space to tell their story, whether that be in a ten minute write or a conversation. You may be surprised at what you'll find out. :)